The government plans to open international bidding early next year on the first phase of the high-speed rail project.

The 400-billion-baht first phase is scheduled to be completed in 2018.

The high-speed train system will largely run alongside existing lines.

They are Bangkok-Nakhon Ratchasima on the Bangkok-Nong Khai line; Bangkok-Hua Hin on the Bangkok-Padang Besar line; Bangkok-Phitsanulok-Chiang Mai; and Bangkok-Pattaya-Rayong on an extension line from Suvarnabhumi airport.

Cost of the first phase is estimated at 400 billion baht for a system that can handle speeds of up to 250 kilometres per hour.

Passengers will travel 3.44 hours on the 745-km of Bangkok-Chiang Mai route, 1.35 hours on the 256-km Bangkok-Nakhon Ratchasima route, 1.09 hours on the 225-km Bangkok-Hua Hin route and one hour on the 220-km Bangkok-Rayong route.

Construction will be along existing routes, while the governors of provinces along the way must submit reasons for having a station in their province.

The international bidding will be held early next year after completion of environmental and health impact assessments.

Pansak Vinyaratn, chairman of the advisory board to Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra, said the government is negotiating with bidders from South Korea, Japan, China and France.

The high-speed train will supply other Asean members and southern China with goods such as light parts, high-tech parts, seafood, fresh-cut flowers, vegetables and fruits.

The government anticipates that goods shipment by rail will increase to 80% of the total in six years from only 2% now.

This will reduce logistics costs by 35% or 400 billion baht a year on lower petrol consumption.

As well, warehouse costs and increased management efficiency will bring the total annual saving to 720 billion baht.

Currently, 17-35% of fresh goods turn rotten in transit.

Revenue from fruit exports is targeted at 336 billion baht in 2018, up from 56 billion last year.

I heard on the grapevine that the Mercedes Benz and Range Rover dealers are that excited about this prospect, that they are throwing big parties with free "gifts" to all officials that may be involved.

May you be in heaven half an hour before the devil know`s you`re dead!

Yeah, travelling on a high speed bullet train here run by SRT would kind of be on par with living next to an Isaan nuclear power station or serving on a 15-year-old diesel powered Thai submarine in the Indian Ocean..........you'd need to have some balls and faith.

Hm...it's all sounds nice in Paper but... What it will be like in reaity when construction starts. I can imagine right now a huge Train Station will be build at Hua Hin station and traffic carmageddon it will unleash.
As Spitfire rightly stated catapulting a workforce like the SRT from the early 20th.century to 21st century is hell bend operation with an uncertain outcome. It woud truly need Balls of faith!
In 1 hour and 10 Min. To Hua Hin. As fast as my past away friend had done the same stretch in his E36 BMW 3 series Vehicle (but with a stronger 5 Series engine under the bonnet).
Like Like Terry I don't believe construction will be complete in 5 to 6 years. 6 to 9 years are more realistic.

Yiur's The understudy!!!!!

In Love with Hua Hin since 19naughty9 and it ain't fading!!!
Being a new born Otaku to Japanese Moe Moe/Slice of Life/comedy style Anime!
Titles: K-ON! Lucky Star, Sailor Moon, My Avatar: Miss Mugi Chan! Keyboardist from the Band: Ho-Kago Tea Time (My fable for All Things Japanese knows no boundaries!)

I'm not Kidding Terry he often drive these excessive speeds of 180 and 190 from Bangers to Hua Hin. I had severall times traveled with Him in his Car from Campus to Hua Hin and back! Others to this stretch in roughly 15 to 20 Min. But he does it in 7 Min. Tabs. When I get out of his Car my knees literally shiver!
Comming back to Highspeed Rail link bid in 2013!
Those who teach future Highspeed trains operators must have a really thick skin to not get Insane by the work culture here.

Your's the understudy!!!!

In Love with Hua Hin since 19naughty9 and it ain't fading!!!
Being a new born Otaku to Japanese Moe Moe/Slice of Life/comedy style Anime!
Titles: K-ON! Lucky Star, Sailor Moon, My Avatar: Miss Mugi Chan! Keyboardist from the Band: Ho-Kago Tea Time (My fable for All Things Japanese knows no boundaries!)

I hope that it does get built eventually though as I've spent a disproportionate amount of my vacations over the last ten years driving between Hua Hin and Issan and if you could get to Khorat in 3 hours or so and less than an hour after that in a taxi, I would use it.
Also, seeing as Bangkok is sinking, the sea is rising and it's raining more, any transport infrastructure that allows industry to decentralise away from that area would be a good idea even if it's on a 10-20 year timescale and could be far more affordable than some of the flood defence proposals.

The understudy wrote:Hi there Terry my Man................
I'm not Kidding Terry he often drive these excessive speeds of 180 and 190 from Bangers to Hua Hin. I had severall times traveled with Him in his Car from Campus to Hua Hin and back! Others to this stretch in roughly 15 to 20 Min. But he does it in 7 Min. Tabs. When I get out of his Car my knees literally shiver!

Sounds to me like a regular idiot who should be locked up..............

The understudy wrote:
Comming back to Highspeed Rail link bid in 2013! Those who teach future Highspeed trains operators must have a really thick skin to not get Insane by the work culture here.
Your's the understudy!!!!

Brown envelopes will be sold out soon. Potential bidders and business partners will line up with their brown envelopes full of doe. Politicians and high-level civil servants will be eating thosand baht bills for breakfast for longer than it takes to build the contraption. Main contract will be given to the Chinese. They have the worst track record for fatal accidents. Hundreds of Thais used to walking the railway will die every year. So will livestock on the loose. Trains, motorcys and cars will be crushed in unguarded railway crossings. Did I miss something?

Unfortunately Terry my friend had past away last year because of an Motocycle accident. Well may lord Buddha have mercy on his restless soul. Yi
Lung Per my Man. Not only will brown envelopes will exchange hands vividly but Local Politians who operates the shooting Bullets (Van Services to Bangers) will get their devious little minds together and think of ways to stall this as this Bullet train Project to delay the start for as much as possible. As they see project as a threat to their Van Service to Bangers and elsewhere.
I hope the Thai Govt is also negociating with Germany in utilizing maglev technology for this Megs Project

Yours The understudy (The one. & only+lonely!!!

In Love with Hua Hin since 19naughty9 and it ain't fading!!!
Being a new born Otaku to Japanese Moe Moe/Slice of Life/comedy style Anime!
Titles: K-ON! Lucky Star, Sailor Moon, My Avatar: Miss Mugi Chan! Keyboardist from the Band: Ho-Kago Tea Time (My fable for All Things Japanese knows no boundaries!)